Chapter 31

 

 

I heard the rumble of Brett's truck long before I actually saw him. It had taken superhuman strength to stay seated and not jump off and sprint toward him. Most of the drive down to Willow Creek had been done with tears rolling down my cheeks. My parents might have had their faults—like everyone else—but I still loved them. The way I left things with them wasn't ideal, and I hoped that there would come a time real soon where they understood why I did what I did.

It took me almost my entire adult life to realize it was okay to do something just for me. My dreams were important too. Although right at that second the only dream I was certain of was barreling toward me, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

The truck rolled to a stop and Brett, and I made eye contact through his windshield. Again, I had to force myself to stay put when all I wanted to do was launch myself at him. His door swung open, the hinges moaning out a squeak, and then he emerged looking dangerously sexy. Hair mussed from probably dragging his fingers through it a few times too many. Even though his tiredness was reflected in them, his eyes glistened with expectation.

I nibbled on my lip as he approached me, the muscles beneath his jeans bulging with every step and the flannel stretching over his chest just begged to be ripped off. His gaze slid over my body with unmasked appreciation giving me tingles all over. He came to a stop in front of the car and placed his hands over my ankles. Those lips of his curved into a sinful half-smile before he yanked me to him.

The laughter that erupted from me couldn't be helped one bit. Brett slid his fingers into my hair, with his hand cradling my head he pulled my face to his. With our noses almost touching, he murmured, "You're awfully far from home." The warmth of his breath breezed over my lips.

My fingers curled around his twitching biceps, "Am I?" I tilted my chin in the direction of the cabin. "I thought that was home."

His mouth came down over mine so fast, it stole my breath. It took me a second, but when I regained my composure, I kissed him right back. My tongue matching his, stroke for delicious stroke. I wanted to climb into that kiss and live there, possibly forever.

Brett's fingers dug into my skull as he held my mouth to his and continued to consume me so completely. By wrapping my legs around his waist I was able to get even closer to him, but it still wasn't close enough.

A low guttural moan rumbled from his chest and much to my dismay he broke our kiss and pulled away slightly. Using his thumb, he smoothed the frown; I never knew I had, from my forehead before cupping my cheeks.

"Sweetheart, I want you—" he looked down and smiled. "—you know I do. Talk first, hmm?"

I ran my tongue over my lip, I could still taste him there. "Talk?"

Brett touched his lips to mine in a way-too-quick kiss before he helped me down. He tucked me under his arm, and we started on the short walk to the cabin. The only problem was now that I was free to be with him, I wanted to be with him. And his thigh brushing against mine along with the warmth radiating off his body was doing nothing to calm the white-hot need that pulsed through my body.

Have you ever experienced such an intense need to do something that you just couldn't function properly until you got that damn monkey off your back? Well, if you multiplied that feeling by a hundred, you might understand why when Brett shut the door behind us, I pounced.

He barely had time to turn around when I flung myself at him. Wrapping my arms and legs around him and pressing my mouth wherever I found an open spot. His mouth opened, but I stole the protest from his tongue.

The groan that broke free vibrated through my body and I smiled a victorious smile when Brett gave into the kiss. I tasted his hunger, I felt his need and mine matched it. His hands slid up my thighs, his fingers dug into my butt. Before I had time to process that we were moving, my back made contact with his couch. Brett came down over me, and I swear the look in his eyes almost had me coming apart right there. His gaze was predatory, hungry, and, loving—so much love shone in his hazel eyes.

Our mouths fused together again and our clothed bodies moved to a frantic rhythm. Brett dragged his hands up my torso, taking my blouse along for the sensuous ride. With deft precision, it was tugged over my head and dropped to the floor.

His lips teased my collarbone before moving between my breasts, I arched my back in an effort to get closer to him. I needed so much more. I heard him inhale deeply before he whispered against my skin, "After all these years, you still use the same perfume."

"It used to be your favorite smell."

His mouth moved to my ribs trailing kisses along them that were achingly soft. "You are my favorite everything."

And just like that, he shifted his weight, so he was lying beside me with one leg draped over me. "Bre—" He silenced me by pressing his finger against my mouth.

"There are some things that you need to hear." His Adam's apple bobbed while the seriousness in his eyes pulled me from my lust-bubble. I nodded meekly, his gaze swept over my face and focused on the strand of hair he was brushing away. "I have been angry for a long time, Sweetheart." He shook his head. "I can't even remember the last time I experienced any other emotion."

I opened my mouth again, and he ran the pad of his thumb over my cheek. "Shh, just listen for a sec." His thumb brushed over my lips. "The thing is, my heart hurt for so long, I stopped listening to it. I couldn't see reason even when it was smacking me in the face. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." Brett dropped a whisper of a kiss to my forehead. "I'm a thickheaded idiot."

Oh, you're thick alright. I pressed my lips together to keep the adolescent words from slipping out and ruining the moment. "But this thickheaded idiot," he went on, oblivious to my thoughts. "Wants to be yours. Kenzie, I love you so much, it's scary. It consumes me morning, afternoon, and, night. I know your daddy doesn’t want—"

I pushed onto my elbow and took his face in my hands. "It's not about what they want, it's about us. Just us."

He slanted his mouth over mine again in a kiss so breathtakingly sweet and tender; it brought a fresh batch of tears to my eyes. "I saw them today," he breathed against my mouth.

"Who?" I asked absently. With my eyes closed, I drank in his kiss and got lost in his touch.

"Your parents." My lids snapped open, and I shot into a seated position.

"What? How? When?" I fired off the questions wondering why he went to my parents and never came to me.

The smile on his lips said he knew exactly what I was thinking. Brett pushed to his feet and left the room. He friggin left, leaving me to gape after him. A minute later he came sauntering back into the living room with two beers in one hand and a patchwork blanket hanging over his arm.

He set the drinks on the coffee table and then draped the blanket over my shoulders. "Brett! When did you see my parents?" Another thought popped into my head. What if my parents understood why I left and they came to Willow Creek to make amends?

His grin widened as he continued to cover me up. "In a minute, Sweetheart." He pulled the ends of the fabric together. "You're distracting." When I did nothing but shoot daggers at him, he laughed. "Okay, okay. My plan to go to the city and make some declaration of love kinda fell through when I arrived at your apartment and ran into Zoe."

"You went to the city to see me?" Like a moron, I repeated his words.

Brett didn't seem to mind though; he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "No Sweetheart. Not to see you but to make you mine." I turned to mush right there on his couch. Silly man. If he only knew, I'd been his all along.

"Anyway," he went on. "Zoe sent me to your parents," he winked. "You weren't there either, so I took the opportunity to tell your father what my intentions were."

"What did he say?"

His smile faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly. "Doesn't matter. You're here now, and I hope this means you're staying."

I threw the blanket off of my shoulders and crawled into his lap. There were no words that would ever do what I felt for this man, justice. The only thing I could do was touch my mouth to his and hope that my kiss would convey what I was unable to voice.